Bournemouth captain Adam Smith expressed strong dissatisfaction with his team's performance ahead of their first-ever home match in European competition. The Cherries are set to face Austrian club Sturm Graz in the Europa League on Thursday, still recovering from a heavy 5-1 defeat at Chelsea on Saturday.

Smith, 35, described the Chelsea loss as the most frustrating he has experienced, acknowledging that the players had let themselves down. He said the squad held internal discussions with manager Marco Rose to address the poor display, emphasizing the players' accountability. “I don’t think as a team, as players, mentality-wise, we were there,” Smith said, adding that such a performance would not be repeated.

Bournemouth’s head coach, Rose, who has yet to record a Premier League victory after six matches, acknowledged the significance of responding to the setback. “We got a real slap at Chelsea and we have to show a reaction,” the German said.

Rose’s familiarity with Austrian football stems from his tenure at Red Bull Salzburg, where he guided the club to the Europa League semi-finals in 2018. Commenting on their upcoming opponents, he noted that Sturm Graz employs an intense, high-pressing style of play, comparable to the demands of the Premier League. “It’s high pressing, really intense, so it’s close to Premier League level — and we need to be ready,” Rose stated.

Bournemouth aims to demonstrate a markedly improved performance in the Europa League fixture as they adapt to the challenges presented by both domestic and continental competitions.